walker



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

LOUIS N. W'AIKER, OF ILION, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO E. REMINGTON & SONS,OF SAME PLACE.

BREECH-LOADING GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,452, dated December14, 1886.

Application filed March 17, 1886.

To all whom it may concern.-

.Be it known that I, LOUIS N. NVALKER, of Ilion, in the county ofHerkimcr and Slate of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Breech-Loading Guns,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to breech-loading guns; and the invention consistsin certain novel features, hereinafter more fully set forth.

Figure 1 is a side elevation with the front side removed to show theinternal construction with the breech closed. Fig. 2 is a similar viewwith the breech opened. 3 is a top plan View; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 areviews of portions shown in detail.

I make my gun in its general form and appearance similar to thewell-known Remington rilie but instead of operating the breechblock by athumb-piece I operate it by a guardlever below.

In the accompanying drawings, A indicates the receiver, which is formedof a single solid piece,with. the exception of the lower wall, A,usually termed the guard-plate, which is V made separate and secured tothe side walls of the part A by screws, this plate A being slotted forthe reception of the guard-lever L, as

represented in Figs. 1 and 2, and also for the 0 The breech-block G iscomposed of a solid block of metal, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, and isprovided on each of its lateral sides with a laterally-projecting rib,1), corresponding in size transversely with recesses N, made in the 5inner faces of the side walls of the receiver, as shown in Figs. 2 and3. In the lower ends of these ribs b,[ form a slot, a, as shown in Figs.1 and 2, in position to correspond with pins j, which project inwardfrom the side wal1sone ,0 being shown in Fig. 1- in such a position thatwhen the breeclrblock is drawn down,as heroinafter explained, theshoulder at the upper end of these slots a will strike and rest on thesepins f, which then form a fulcrum on which the breech-block rests as itis tipped over back, as hereinafter explained.

A central recess or slot is formed in the lower end of the breech-blockO, as shown clearlyin Figs. 4t and 5, in which is pivoted a link, D, therear end of which is pivoted to another link, E, which has its oppositeend pivoted to the lever-guard L, which latter is in turn pivoted on ascrew, 2', near its front Serial No.1fl5,562. (No model.)

end, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The link D,

as shown in Figs. at and 5, has an arm, l, projecting from its upper endnearly at right angles, and which extends upward in the central recessfar enough to engage in a recess cut in the underside of the firing-pinO, for the purpose of retracting the latter as the breech is opened,itbeing shown retracted in Fig. 5,and forward or in the firing position inFig. 4.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, there is lefta solid abutment in the rearportion of the breech-block below the firing-pin and in rear 55 of thepivot of the elbow-lever D, the lever D being pivoted in relation tothis abutment in such a manner that when the firing-pin is retracted thearm Zof the lever will bear against the front shoulder, a, of thisabutment, as shown in Fig. 4, thereby locking the lever D in such amanner as to render it rigid in relation to the breech-block while thelatter is being drawn. down, and thereby assisting to tip or draw thebreech-block over back ward as 7 5 soon as it is drawn out of thevertical recesses N. When the motion of the hand-lever L is reversed toclose the breech, the main arm of the elbow-lever D will in like mannerstrike against the lower face, 0*, of the abutment. as shown in Fi 5,thereby rendering it rigid in relation to the breech-block while thelatter is being raised, and tipping it forward into a verticalposition,ready to have its ribs I) enter the vertical recesses N again.It is obvious that the same result may be accomplished by making therecess in which the arm Z of lever D moves to and fro of such a lengththat the arm Z will strike alternately against the shoulders c and 0 atopposite extremities of the recess in which the arm Z moves,or that thearm D may in like manner be arranged to strike against shoulders orabutments provided in the breech-block on opposite sides of the arm D,it being a mere matter of choice with the 5 manufacturer as to which ofthese plans shall be adopted.

The breech blockO also has a small recess,

m, formed in its frontface, extending from the top downward to a pointnear the front end of the firing pin, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5,this recess or groove being as wide or wider than the cap or primer usedin the cartridge,so that in case the cap or primer should, by accidentor otherwise, project beyond the face of the cartridge-head it will notbe hit by the upper edge of the breech-block as the latter is movedupward in closing the breech, and which might cause a prematureexplosion. The length of the recess missueh that the face of thebreech-block will not touch or press against the primer until thebreech-block has been raised far enough to cover the hereof the barrel,so that it by any means the primer should be exploded thereafter noinjury would result to the person holding the gun. At the same time byinclining the lower end of this recess in it will, as the block 0 isshoved up, operate as a wedge to force the primer into its seat, and bystopping the recess a short distance above the tiring-pin a solidabutment is left opposite or in rear of the primer, when the breech isentirely closed, to hold the primer firmly in place at the instant ofexplosion.

The breech-block is also provided on its rear side with a roundedprojection, c, as shown in Figs. 1, at, and 5, for the purpose ofpressing against the projections 0 on the frontof the hammer H as thebreech-block is d rawu down, and thus at a certain time force the hammerback far enough to permit the point of the trigger or sear to engage inthe half cock notch, as shownin Fig. 2, there being a recess, r, asshown in Figs. i and 5, made in the top efthe breeclrblock fortheprojections 0 ofthe hammer to rest in when the breeelrblock is thrownover back, as shown in Fig. 2, this recess r being of such a depth thatwhen the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2 the breech-block andthe projections 0 on the hammcr shall not be in contact.

Thehammer H, as shown in Fig. 6, has the projections 0 on its frontside, as above stated, and it also has a cavity or vertical recess, p,between these projections, the object ofwhieh latter is to afford roomfor the projecting rear end ofthe firingpin 0 when retracted, to passdown in front of the hammer as the breech is opened without touching thehammer after it has moved past or away from the nose of the latter.

The recesses N, formed, as before stated, on theinner faces of the sidewalls of the receiver A,e. :tend downto apoint about on a line with thelower wall of the bore, the rear wall, 2, of said recesses beingvertical to that point, and from thence are curved backward in asemicircle, as shown at t, Fig. 2, to permit the top of the breech-blockto swing over back when drawn down, so it will assume the position shownin Fig. 2, out of the way of the cartridgeshell.

The extractor 7; consists of a lever pivoted at its lower end, as shownin Figs. 1 and 2, and extends upward in a recess at one side of thebarrehand at apoint opposite the central portion of the bore has aninwardly-projecting lip to engage under the flange of the cartridge inthe usual manner.

The lever-guard L is provided at its front end with a vertical lug orarm, 9, so located that when the lever has been moved far enough to movethe breech block out of the way of the shell this arm y will strikeagainst the extractor 7., as represented in Fig. 2, and throw the latterover backward, thereby causing it to extract the shell. The relativelength of the arm g and of the extractor l. are such that a very suddenor quick movement is imparted to the latter, and it is thereby made tothrow the shell entirely clear of the gun, especially if the gun he heldhorizontal or has its muzzle slightly elevated. At the same time if theshell sticks in the chamber the strong rigid extractor and arm al'l'ordthe means for bringing a very strong yet gradual force to bear on theshell until loosened, when the sudden movement of the parts will expelit from the chamber.

At or near its front: end the lever-guard is also provided with aroller, 72, as shown in Fig. 1, on which a Spring, F, is arranged tobear, these parts being so arranged that the pressure ot'thc spring willoperate to holdthe leverguard, and consequently the lu'eeclr block, intheir closed position, as shown in Fi l; but whenever the guard isthrown down far enough to bring the roller 71 backward past the centerof motion of the guard L,(which in this case is the pivot or screw i, onwhich the guard turns,) then the three of the spring aids to open thebreech and. serves to hold it open, whatever the position of the gun maybe. Vith the parts thus constructed and arranged, it will be seen thatthe moment force is applied to the guard L to throwit down the rear endof link D will be drawn downward, thereby causing the arm [to force backthe firing-pin O as soon as it begins to move the breech-block, and thatwhen. the link D has been moved on its pivot far enough to cause the armZ to bear against the solid wall of the breech-block, as shown in Fig.the link I) will be rendered rigid in relation to the breechblock, andthey will thereafter move as one piece until the breech is opened. Thecontinned downward movement of the guard will draw the breech-blockdirectly down until the ribsb are drawn out of the vertical recesses N,at which time the upper walls of the slots a in the sides of the blockwill strike upon the pins f, when the further movement of the guard,operating through links E andD upon the rear part of the breech-blockand in rear of the pins f, will instantly draw the top of thebreechblock ovcr backward to the position shown in Fig. 2, at the sametime operating the extractor, as before explained. It will thus be seenthat although the breeclrbloek has a compound movem.enth'rst down andthen over backward-this movement is all effected by a single downwardmovement of theleverguard, and it is effected so quickly as to make itdifficult to distinguish. between the downward and backward movements ofthe breech-block. Just at the instant-the block has descended far enoughto begin to tip,thc projection c thereon is brought to bear against theprojections 0 on the front of the hammer, thereby forcing the IOC IKO

latter back to the half-cock, as before stated. As the motion of thelever-guard is reversed the link E is first moved, carrying the rear endof link D upward until it or the end of link E, or both, rests againstthe under side of the block, near its rear edge, as shown in Fig. 4. (atthe same time throwing the arm 1 forward and releasing the firing-pin)thereby rendering the link D rigid in relation to the breechblock, whenthe further movement of the lever-guard will first tip the breechblockover forward to avertical position and then force it bodily upward tothe position shown in Fig. 1, thus closing the breech.

As shown in Fig. 3, the breechblock O is held securely in place not onlyby the ribs 1), which bear against the walls t of the recesses N, butbyits rear face also, which abuts against the shoulders on each side ofthe hammer in the top wall of the receiver. It is, however, obvious thatthe ribs are sufficient without this latter bearing. It will of coursebe understood that, as shown in Figs. 4t and 5, the recess in thefiring-pin will be of sufficient length to permit the necessary movementof the latter to ignite the charge without touching the arm Z. It isobvious that instead of the re cess a slot may be cut through thefiring-pin and the arm Z be extended through or into the same; but theplan shown is simpler in construction and equally effective. So, too, itis obvious that instead of the slots a and the pins fany other form ofstop may be substituted to serve as a fulcrum or pivot on.

which the breechblock may strike when drawn down, the only requisitebeing that the stop or rest on which the breech-block strikes shall bein front of the link E, so that the force brought upon the breech-blockthrough said link will tend to pull or tip the block over backward assoon as the block comes in contact with the stop. For instance, thelower end of the ribs 1) may be made pointed, of V shape, or rounded,and brought to bear on correspondingly-shaped ribs or projectionsproperly located on the side walls of the receiver, or the front lowercorner of the breech-block itself may be made to come in contact withsuitable stops or projections on the side walls of the receiver, or withthe guard-plate A, or with a projection thereon, these being meremodifications in the mechanical details,which will be obvious to any oneskilled in the art, and all operating on the same principle andproducing the same result viz., to throw the top of the breechblock overbackward, as shown in Fig. 2.

It will be observed that the top or upper end of the ribs 1) areslightlycurved or rounded, so that they will slide freely along the curved wallt as the lever is brought up to close the breech, and the rear uppercorner may be slightly beveled or rounded off to enable the ribs to morereadily enter the recesses N as. the breech is closed.

NVhile I have shown the recesses N as extending down on a line with thebot-tom of the bore, it will of course be understood that they may belonger or shorter, according tothe distance the breech-block movesvertically, the only requisite in that respect being that the I combinedvertical and tipping movement of the breeclrblock shall be sufficient touncover the bore of the barrel and permit the insertion and removal ofthe cartridge or shell.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 6, the top of the hammer is so inclinedbackward that when at half-cock, as shown in Fig. 2, it is nearlyhorizontal, so that tl1e.shell,which impinges upon it as it is thrownout, passes readily over it. By this construction I am enabled toproduce a strong and efficient arm, simple of manipulation and notliable to get out of order.

I am aware that guns have been patented in which the breech-block isarranged to have a downward and backward movement, and also that variousplans have been devised for retracting the firing-pin, and therefore Ido not claim either of these features, broadly but Vhat I do claimis- 1. The combination of the receiver A, having on the inner face ofits side walls the vertical shoulder t and the curved shoulder t, withthe breech-block 0, provided with the laterally-projecting ribs b, theoperating-lever L and links E D, and the pins f, or an equivalent stopto tip the breech-block when drawn down, the said parts being arrangedto operate substantially as shown and described.

2. The breech-block 0, provided with the firing-pin O, in combinationwith the elbow lever D, pivoted in a recess in said block, substantiallyas shown and described, whereby the firingpin is retracted and the leveris rendered rigid in relation to the breech-block in its movement up anddown, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The breechblock 0, provided with the shoulder or projection c, incombination with the hammer H, provided with the curved shoulders orprojections 0, and the vertical rece ss 1), arranged to operatesubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The breech-block 0, provided with the shoulders c and 0 or theirequivalents, in combination with the elbow-lever D, pivoted thereto, andarranged to engage with the shoulders on opposite extremities ofthelever in its alternatemovements, substantiallyas shown and described.

5. The combination, in agun, of the breechblock 0, having the firing-pinOseated therein, the pivoted links D E, the pivoted extractor k, and thelever L, pivoted to the receiver in front of the extractor, and providedwith the arm g, arranged in line with the extractor, said parts beingconstructed and arranged to operate substantially as shown anddescribed.

LOUIS N. WALKER.

lVitnesses:

F. F. LATHROP, Ii. ZIMMERMAN.

